Improvement in furniture-casters



D. A. FISHER, Jr.

FURNITURE CASTER. No 1'74 794 4 Patented Marchl, 1876.

flvezzzar N.FETERS, PHOTQLITMQGRAPHER, WASHINGTON B510.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE,

DAVID A. FISHER, JR, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN FURNlTURE-CASTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [74,794, dated March 14, 1876; application filed March 1, 1876.

of Washington city, in the District of 001mmbia, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Casters for Furniture, 850. and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a caster for furniture, &c., in which the casterwheel with its shank or spindle will not fall out from its socket as easily as those now in ordinary use, and which can be readily applied.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of a springshank or spindle on thejaws orframe, between which the caster-roller is secured, which shank is split and enlarged at its upper end, and forms a spring, by which it is firmly held in place when inserted in its socket or thimble, and in providing the lower end'of the screw-socket with grooves or transverse slots, into which ascrewdriver or other suitable tool may be inserted, and by which .the screw-socket can be readily screwed into its place without the use of a wrench.

Inthe accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a vertical section of my improved caster on line a: m. Fig. 2 represents a front view of the same. Fig. 3 represents the spring-shank or spindle detached. Fig. 4 represents a vertical section of the thimble or socket on line 11' y; Fig. 5, a bottom view of the same.

In the drawing, A is the thimble or socket, provided with a screwthread, a, and a square flange, b, by which it may be screwed into its place. On the lower inner side of the socket are arranged the grooves or transverse slots 0 0, into which the end of a screw-driver may be inserted, and the socket screwed into place in that manner when so desired, instead of by a wrench applied to the square flange b.

The shank or spindle B attached to the frame (3, in which is secured the caster-roller D, is of peculiar construction, having its upper end enlarged, as shown at d, and split a short distance, as shown at e, and, being made of .-steel or other suitable material, forms springends, which will be close together when forced into thesocket A, and thus be firmly held in its place by frictional contact as well as by the force of the spring-action of the spindle itself. The shank or spindle may be split in two, three, or more parts, as occasion demands it. The enlargement of the spindle also compensates for the metal taken out by the splits, as well as assisting in holding it in place by friction.

The operation is as follows: The socket A is screwed into the foot of the bureaus, wardrobes, wash-sta-nds, desks, tables, chairs, pianos, or other movable article desired, either with a wrench or by use of a :orew-driver or other suitable tool. The spindle B is then easily inserted with its small end into the socket A, the split and enlarged part being compressed together as it is forced into its place, and thus it is securely and readily held and applied, and will not, as with the casters generally in use, drop out of its place when the article to which it is applied is raised or moved about.

' I am aware that it is not broadly new to make a spring-shank or spindle for attaching casters but Having, as above, fully described my devices, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

An improved furniture-caster, consisting of the split end, spring-shank v or spindle B, frame 0, and roller D, in combination. with the screw-threaded socket A, having flange I), and grooves or transverse slots 0 0, whereby .a screw-driver may be used for the more ready insertion of the socket, all substantially as described and shown, for the purpose specified. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereby'aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID A. FISHER, JR. Witnesses:

DAVID FISHER, Jos. 1. 000K. 

